Forgotten
by Raindrops-In-Your-Eyes.Xx
Summary: It's been six years since Chihiro's visit to the Spirit World, but she doesn't know that. In fact, she doesn't even remember it all happening. Something made her lose all memory of it all, including Haku- they boy she loved. But what was it? Will Haku keep his promise? Will he ever find her again?
1. Chapter 1: Where It All Began

**I do not own Spirited Away, but I wish I did.  
I would totally make another movie, but I'll just write my own story based on what happens after.  
PLEASE NOTE:  
**_**- Italic **_**writing is written for something that has happened in the past, or for thoughts or detailed expression.  
- & to understand my story, you'll have to have seen the movie 'Spirited Away' (Duh!).  
Be nice to me! This is my first real story.**

"_Will we meet again sometime?" She asked the boy in front of her hopefully._

"_Sure we will." He replied._

"_Promise?"_

"_Promise. Now go, and don't look back until you pass through the tunnel."_

_Their joined hands parted as Chihiro turned and ran back to the abandoned train station where she was sure to find the tunnel that separated the Human World from the Spirit World. In her mind, she was thinking of her parents, hoping that when she found them there that they would no longer be pigs, but deep inside her heart she was upset. Upset, because at that moment she was running away from the boy she loved, the boy who saved her - Haku._

_Her steps faltered as his face appeared in her mind. She didn't want to go, but it was too late now.  
Besides, Haku has promised they would meet again, so she continued forward, away from him. She became fully aware of every step she took, for each one was further from him, and closer to them- her parents. This made her sad, so she tried not to think of his presence beyond the field behind her. She continued jogging over the uneven landscape._

_Finally, the ten year old reached the station._

"_Chihiro!"_

_Chihiro gasped and looked up. Standing not twenty metres away were her mum and dad._

"_Where have you been?" Her mother called. "Hurry up!"_

"_Mum! Dad!" Chihiro cried, running up to them._

"_You shouldn't run off like that, honey."_

"_You could get in big trouble." Her father agreed, walking into the station alongside Chihiro's mum._

"_..Are you guys sure you're alright?" Chihiro asked, just to be sure._

"_Let's go, I don't want to miss the movers." Her mum said, not hearing Chihiro._

_Chihiro stood still. About a million thoughts passed through her mind at once- thoughts of this being her final few minutes in the Spirit World. On instinct, she turned her head as if to gaze back the way she'd come, but then remembered Haku's request to not look back until she passed the tunnel. She quickly stopped and snapped her head back in the direction of the station. The hair-tie Zeniba had given her glittered in the sunlight as the breeze swayed her short brown ponytail._

"_Chihiro! Come on." Her dad called from inside the tunnel._

_She ran to catch up with them, and latched herself onto her mother's arm. _

"_Chihiro, don't cling like that, you'll make me trip." Her mum said as the family walked through._

_Still, Chihiro clung. Now that she knew her parents were safe, Haku filled her mind. The thought of never seeing him again made her weak in the knees, but she knew she had to keep walking._

'_Oh, Haku..' She thought, somehow hoping that even from this distance he could hear her final message to him. 'I'm sorry for never saying this, but I love y-' _

_Her thoughts were cut off as the three of them came out of the other end. Chihiro blinked in confusion. Had she just been thinking something? She couldn't remember. But she did remember one thing; Moving towns. Her heart sank as she thought of her friends back home and how much she'd miss them._

_She was pulled back to reality by the sound of her dad's voice._

"_What happened?!" He cried, looking at the family's parked car. Chihiro looked to see that the car was covered in vines and leaves, as if they'd been on the other side for a long time. _

'_But that's ridiculous.' She thought. 'We only stopped by for a quick look. There was nothing there, anyway. Just an old station and some fields.'_

"_Is this someone's idea of a joke?" Her mom asked to nobody in particular._

_Chihiro turned back to look deep into the tunnel. She didn't know why, but she felt as if there was something she was forgetting. Something very important to her._

"_Let's go, Chihiro. To our new home." She heard her mother say from inside the car._

"_You're not scared are you?" Her dad teased._

_Chihiro eventually tore her eyes away and ran to the car, the feeling still lingering in her soul._

- Six Years Later -

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Chihiro Ogino groaned and rolled over in her bed, opening one eye groggily. She glared at the alarm clock on her dresser before smacking the top of it, putting it on 'snooze' mode, or in her mind 'shut up' mode.

"7:05.." She muttered, half her face mushed in her pillow.

It was a school day, she knew that. Monday. Chihiro _hated_ Mondays, more than anything- They were so boring and long after a fun and relaxing weekend. Not that Chihiro _had _a fun and relaxing weekend, as she spent hers finishing an English and Tech assignment, but at least she got to sleep in.

"Chihiro..?" Her mother popped her head around Chihiro's bedroom door.

"Yeah?"

"Oh, good. You're awake. Now get up, you have school today."

'_Thanks for reminding me." _Chihiro thought sarcastically. She could hear her mother's footsteps echoing down the stairs of their double-story house. Chihiro had created a warm and comfy spot in her bed, and didn't want to move out of it, but still she threw the duck-feather sheet off her and stood up. The moment she did, she sat back down with a splitting headache.

"I stood up too fast." She grumbled, massaging her temples to ease the pain.

Once it was gone, she once again got to her feet- a little slower this time. Her bare skin touched the wooden floorboards covering her bedroom floor, which she found were the same temperature as her warm spot. Well, what did she expect in the summer?  
The air felt heavy and hot as Chihiro made her way to the bathroom across from her room. She pulled back the bathroom door and stepped on the tiles, which were cooler and somewhat soothing.

"That's better." She sighed.

Then she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her eyes widened in shock.

"GAH!" She squeaked, taking in her appearance.

Her hair needed some serious brushing- it was all teased up and bits were sticking out everywhere. She also needed to wash her face as it looked like she hadn't slept in days and was a walking zombie. And on top of that, last night she forgot to remove her mascara, and now it had melted down her cheeks.

"This is going to be fun." She mumbled, grabbing her hair and roughly pulling it back into a messy ponytail. She then turned on the tap.

Chihiro leaned towards the mirror, picking 'sleep' out of her eyes. Once she was sure it was gone, she bent down and scrunched her eyes shut as she splashed the cool water over her face. She scrubbed at her face with cleanser for almost ten minutes, trying to get the black streaks off her skin. Eventually, it wore off, leaving Chihiro with beetroot-red cheeks. She patted them dry.  
Next came her hair. She opened a drawer under the sink to find her wooden brush, which she then ran through her bed-head hair. It caught on a knot.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, OW!" She cried as the knot finally pulled free.

Once her hair was brushed out, it sat lightly on her shoulders, silky straight.

She then waddled back over to her own bedroom, and opened her closet. Here, she selected the Osaka High School uniform- Which for girls in summer, was a skirt and blouse with the school logo and colours on them. She also opened a cabinet to reveal her swimsuit. She pulled that out as well.

'_I might decide to go swimming after school.'_ She thought.

Chihiro peeled off her night-gown and dressed herself. As she was doing up the buttons on her blouse, she turned to face the full-length mirror on the back of her door.

She looked very smart, but also very pretty. Her loose brown hair came down to her middle back, and her skin was smooth-looking and flawless, with a small tan from all the hot weather. Over the years, Chihiro noted how much baby-fat she lost, making her body and face appear longer and leaner. She gave her reflection a toothy grin.

"Chihiro!"

Chihiro jumped slightly at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Yes?" She called back.

"How long do you plan on taking?! Do you want to have breakfast, because I made toast. You'll be late, darling. School starts in ten minutes, and it's a fifteen minute walk."

Chihiro's eyes flew to her alarm clock. It was now 8:20am. She grabbed her already-packed bag and bolted down the stairs.

"Chihiro-"

"Sorry mum, I have to go." She said, giving her mother a peck on the cheek.

She quickly grabbed some toast her mother had prepared and flew out the front door, running down the street as fast as she could.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Haku was perched on top of the bath house roof in his human form. One of his legs dangled over the edge, the other was tucked up and had his chin resting on his knee. He was watching the sun go down and, as always, he was thinking of _her._

It had been six years since Haku had seen Chihiro. He remembered the last time he saw her little face- It was when he'd told her to leave and not look back after she's passed her test against Yubaba. But, he also remembered his promise to her- that they'd see each other again.

Guilt washed over him. Those words, those final words he'd uttered to the girl he loved, had cast a spell on them both. Haku had left it up to Chihiro to decide whether or not she would stay with him, or return to her parents. All she had to do was disobey him, and look back. If she had, he would have immediately run to her and confessed his love. He would have asked her to stay with him forever. But she didn't. She believed in Haku too much, and didn't look back. He was convinced it had been easy for her to decide, and was heartbroken. The moment she had passed through the tunnel, the spell had been locked. Sealed in place.

As a result, she permanently lost all memory of ever coming to the Spirit World…

A soft breeze blew through the spirit's dark hair.

Haku had thought this over many times before. It haunted him every day. But the one thing that really wrenched his heart, were the final words she'd reached out to him with. He replayed the memory in his head;

"_Oh, Haku.."_

The sound of her voice had been like electricity through his body. She was trying to tell him something, and he wouldn't miss it for the world. He ran with inhumane speed to the abandoned train station, hoping to have reached her before she passed.

"_I'm sorry for never saying this before, but.."_

Desperately, Haku had scrambled down the rocky hill. The station was only yards away. He'd gripped her words, held them tightly to his heart, using them as adrenaline.

"_..I love y-"_

He'd heard her cut off un-naturally, and he then knew deep in the depths of his soul that she was gone. He'd been at the tunnel's entrance when she cut off, and the Spirit Gate had dropped a barrier between the two lovers. He'd been sent flying backwards as he collided with it, but soon was back, scratching at it, and hitting it with wild magical forces. But the Spirit Gate rarely opened, he knew that, and it was a possibility that it may never open again…

"Master Haku! Master Haku!" He heard various voices from the bath house call. They dragged him back to reality.

Haku pretended not to hear them, hoping they would eventually go away, but that chance was very slim. The voices continued, but he blocked them out, only thinking of Chihiro. He knew that soon he had to find her. He wanted her to remember, and to finish her incomplete sentence. The three words he hungered to hear from her lips.  
Slowly, he closed his eyes.

_'Maybe I should just leave it. Her life would be better without me in it, anyway.' _He thought.

_'How would it be better without us being together?' _His mind argued.

'_No, she deserves a man who will live with her, give her everything she wants.' _He argued back.

'_I can do that, too.'_

'_But she needs someone who will grow old with her and be by her side the whole time. She needs someone who will love her for all eternity.'_

'_But no matter how hard she looks, she will never find a person who loves her more than I do.'_

"MASTER HAKU!" A feminine voice screeched, dragging him out of his thoughts.

Haku frowned and opened his eyes, which narrowed as he sensed incoming footsteps to the rooftop. Just as the trap-door opened, Haku leapt from his perch and into the air. He felt the gravity push him down at an alarming speed, but he felt no fear towards the feeling. His eyes watched as he passed how many lit windows, coming to him in a blur. Only a few metres away from the water below the bath house, he shut his eyes and reached for his inner spirit form- his dragon.

The transformation happened within an instant. Haku's eyes flew open. Except this time, when he did, he could feel the change in his body. He no longer was the human-spirit he was moments ago, now he was the Nigihayami _Kohaku_ Nushi- Dragon spirit.  
Haku pointed his head downwards as he plunged into the icy water- the rest of his long body following.

Haku was used to being under the surface of water, he _was_ a river spirit, after all.  
This brought his thoughts back to Chihiro, for she had been the one to help him remember his true identity. The guilt returned. The regret.

'_She saved me. From both certain death and Yubaba's control. I owe her everything, and I still let her go. I want to be with her. I love her.'_

He twisted around so his chin was facing up, and with a mighty flick of his powerful tail, was sent into the starry night sky.

**I will be back with the second chapter soon.  
Sorry this first one wasn't that great- It's the introduction.  
In the next chapter, much more interesting stuff happens.  
Please follow my story, and review to tell me what you think so far!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Lost Souls

**I AM SO SORRY IT'S BEEN LIKE, 3 MONTHS SINCE I'VE UPDATED. Please blame my school and the ridiculous amounts of homework they give out for high-school students. I've been really stressed, but I stayed up all night finishing this for you guys, so please enjoy. (: Also, I did edit Chapter 1, so if you've been reading my story, please be sure to read Chapter 1 again as to not get confused.  
I love you, my little raindrops. OH, PLEASE FOLLOW MY STORY & REVIEW. **

**I do not own Spirited Away, but I wish I did.  
PLEASE NOTE:  
**_**- Italic**___**writing is written for something that has happened in the past, or for thoughts or detailed expression.  
- & to understand my story, you'll have to have seen the movie 'Spirited Away' (Duh!).  
Be nice to me! This is my first real story.**

Chihiro skidded to a stop. She's been running for eight minutes straight, and she was now fully out of breath due to the weight of her heavy schoolbag. The straps had slipped from her shoulders, and were now hanging from the middle of her arms. The actual bag was very close to touching the concrete path, and her hair was windblown- looking as it had earlier that morning.

Chihiro grumbled as she hiked up her bag, and gasped as her skirt came up with it.

She quickly pushed it back down, blushing furiously and looking around. Nobody was in sight. She sighed, relieved.

The sixteen year old knew that around the corner of the upcoming street was Osaka High, so she took this small opportunity to fix up herself before she walked in to class with the rest of the students. She was a girl, after all, and she always came prepared.

Chihiro put her bag down and un-zipped the top pocket, pulling out a flip-brush. She carefully ran it through her long brown hair, untangling the big clumps. Once she could move the brush downwards smoothly, she put it back in her bag, satisfied, and instead pulled out a small mirror. She tilted it so she could see her face and applied a thin layer of pink lip-gloss to her lips. She rubbed them together. She also quickly pulled out a tube of mascara and put a small amount on her long lashes. She put the mirror away.

Chihiro then heard the low ring of the school bell. She quickly pulled up her knee-high socks, stood up and put on her bag- careful not to bring her skirt with it, and sprinted around the corner, prepared for the long day ahead.

When she reached the school gates, her hair had messed up again from people shoving past her to get ahead.

'_I don't even know why I try.'_ She thought, annoyed, running her fingers through it roughly.

She slowed to a walk and gazed up at the tall building of Osaka Private High School as other students hurried past, determined to be in class on time.

'_I'm going to be late, anyway.' _She thought with a sigh.

There was nothing fancy about the school, it was just a brick building with ordinary windows- and, of course, the school name written across it. Somehow, Chihiro thought that private schools would be much more impressive than normal public ones.

A loud "SQUAK!" interrupted her thoughts. Her head instinctively snapped in the direction of the sound. There, high up in a gum tree perched a crow. It was staring at her with a deep gaze, and Chihiro found herself getting stuck in it.

Images pooled in her mind- images of this bird with the head of an old lady. A tugging feeling pulled at her heart, making her feel somewhat ill. She froze.

'_What am I thinking? Why am I imagining such impossible things? What's WRONG with me!?'_

Chihiro felt somewhat disgusted with herself. She jumped as the crow suddenly swooped past her and over the building. She felt instantly better once it was out of sight, and everything came back to reality.

She looked around and noticed two things at once. The first was that she was now the only person not inside the school building, and the second was that the headmaster was leaving the front office, coming right her way. He didn't look too happy.

Chihiro gulped.

"_What _on _earth_ do you think _you're _doing?!" He spat, now only a few feet away.

"Um..-"

'_Think, Chihiro! THINK!' _She urged herself.

"-I was just trying to look for some money I dropped for my bus ticket home tonight. I was shoved around so much trying getting into the school, that it dropped out of my hands and now I have to look for it, otherwise I won't be able to get home after school." Chihiro lied.

"Well, class started ten minutes ago. So.." The headmaster said, trailing off as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out three dollars.

"Take this. A similar thing happened to me when I was your age."

Chihiro was surprised. Really surprised.

"Wow, gee, thank you Sir!" She pretended to be relieved. "I'll pay you back as soon as I can!"

"Not necessary. Now. Get. To. Class!" He roared.

Chihiro immediately jumped and sprinted for the big wooden doors of Osaka Private High School. She felt guilty for taking the Headmaster's money like that, but if she didn't, she would've gotten a detention for sure. So she flung the doors open and kept running.

She passed the front office, and got a mean glare from the receptionist. Chihiro ignored it and kept running until she reached the empty corridors and flew up the flight of stairs to her left. Once at the top, she jogged down the right corridor and stopped at her locker. She dropped her bag to the floor, where it crumpled noise-lessly, and turned to face her lock. It was a twist-code, where you start on 0, and twist it to three numbers that will open only one lock. Chihiro's code numbers were 2, 22 and 30.

It took her three goes before the damn thing actually un-locked. Then, she hurriedly took out her English books- and her due assignment, before ditching her bag inside the gloomy, square hole and locking it.

She stumbled down the hall until she reached the to the Year 10 English room. She peered through the small window in the door, to see her class already inside, watching '_The Breakfast Club.'_

Chihiro tried to open the door as silently as she could, but failed in doing so when the door creaked on its hinges. Thankfully, everyone was too absorbed in the movie to have noticed, and she crept around the back. The room was dimmed, so she was hoping to find a seat before the teacher noticed her late arrival, but then she caught her professor's eye from across the room. He frowned at her- a warning she knew too well.

It meant; _'Sit down, NOW, or you're picking up papers at lunch.'_

Chihiro looked away and spotted her friends in the middle desk.

Chihiro was part of the 'popular' group of girls at Osaka. There were four of them altogether, the most popular being Shannon. Shannon was obviously the prettiest girl out of them all- she was your typical Barbie-doll. Her facial features were so perfect- stunning blue eyes, full lips, sharp nose. She hadn't a single spot on her skin, and her long blonde hair reached her middle-back.

Before Chihiro had come along, there was just Shannon and her 'two little workers'- Emily and Mariah. Both were also beautiful, Emily with blonde curls and a skinny, tanned beach body, and Mariah looking the same but with long, dark brown hair that was so straight it looked like it had been ironed to her head. It was just like a realistic scene from _'Mean Girls' _– one of Chihiro's favourite movies.

The three girls weren't really paying attention, they were flirting with some of the boys in the class. Chihiro also noticed that they hadn't exactly saved her a seat, either. She crept up to them and tapped Emily on the shoulder, who tore her eyes away from the boys and turned to look at Chihiro.

"What?" She hissed loudly.

"Um, is there any possible chance that I would be sitting here with youse today?"

Emily looked sideways at Mariah.

"Actually Chihiro," Mariah started, answering for Emily. "We were going to sit with the guys today. Is that cool with you?"

Chihiro glanced down and pretended to be interested with something on the floor. This was not the first time Chihiro had been ditched like this. In fact, it had happened multiple times before. They had control over her.

"Um, but isn't that a spare seat next to you?", She asked Mariah, gesturing to the empty seat.

At that moment, Shannon flipped her blonde head around, silencing Emily and Mariah.

"There's a spare seat next to Jamille, Chihiro." She said in a 'bitchy' tone. "Be sure to say 'Hi' for me."

And then all three girls turned their backs to her. Just like that, she had been dismissed. Chihiro fought the urge to yank them all back around by their hair, but instead, she glanced up at the seat next to Jamille. Jamille was an Asian girl, and was not friendly at all. She was one of those girls you just avoided because they were unattractive both inside and out. She never spoke to anyone, so it was unlikely that Chihiro would be passing on Shannon's message without looking like an idiot. She didn't intend to, anyway. She knew Shannon was purposely trying to make her look bad.

At school lately, there had been a lot of rumors going around that Chihiro was better looking, or 'hotter' than Shannon. This had caused Shannon to attack her, defending her ground as 'Queen Bee'.

Without another word, Chihiro silently crept to the back corner of the class and plonked her books down on the desk, and her bum down on the cold seat. She didn't bother looking at Jamille, instead she put her elbow up on the table, and rested her chin on the palm of her hand.

She sighed, her breath pushing loose strands of hair away from her face.

'_This is going to be a long day. Just another long, and utterly boring day.'_

( - - - - - - - - - - - - )

Haku strode through the bath-house.

He was tired of keeping things to himself. Since that fateful day, he hadn't told anyone about the spell. Everyone at the bath-house simply thought Chihiro had left, and would eventually find her way back, so they were all just waiting, among doing their daily things.

He skidded to a stop to catch the nearest elevator, which had just opened to his right. It was crowded, but he managed to squish in.

He needed to speak to someone, but who? Haku carefully thought about his options.

'_Lin?' _he thought. _'No, definitely not Lin. She'd kill me for doing that to Chihiro. Well, technically spirits cannot be killed, but she'd find a way.'_

He crossed her name out in his mind.

'_What about Kamaji? No, he wouldn't exactly be the best help in a situation like this.'_

Kamaji's name was crossed out.

Haku's thoughts led from one thing to another, and soon, he was thinking of _her. _

DING!

The elevators came to a stop, and Haku suddenly became aware that he was now fully alone.

The silence was taunting.

He stepped out of the elevators, and walked bare-foot atop the cold tiles, hearing his own footsteps echo through the high corridors.

'_What about…'_

Another name was crossed out.

And another,

And another.

Haku groaned, and raked his fingers through his jet black hair. So far, there wasn't a single person who would be able to help him, or even listen without being disgusted at his actions.

Not that Haku could blame them, he'd be pretty mad too. Out of the rare humans who have made it to the Spirit World, Chihiro had definitely left the biggest impression. Everyone loved her.

Finally, he arrived at his bedroom chamber, and once again, asked himself why on earth he let her go. He rolled back onto his bed, and slapped his cheeks with both palms and left them there, covering his eyes with long, slender fingers.

He stayed like that, unmoving and lost in thought. Images of her face pooled in his mind, all the memories of those treasured moments that took place six years ago.

Then it hit him. The obvious answer to his problem had been right there all along.

He flung himself to his feet, and flew out of the door he'd passed through only minutes before. His heart raced in his chest, as if it were about to jump through his skin. He had found hope.

He was going to see Zaniba.

**So, what did you think?  
Sorry if it wasn't so great. But your reviews for the last chapter were very nice, and they made me feel better about this whole thing.  
I promise the next chapter will be up soon, I'm going to work on it for hours tomorrow night.  
If it's not up by the end of this week, I'm probably dead or bombarded with homework. Same thing, really.  
I love you my little raindrops!  
Review, Follow and Favourite! x**


	3. Chapter 3: The Truth

**Hey guys!**

**I am so sorry to keep you waiting for so long. As promised, here is Chapter Three!  
Hope you like it. I MADE IT AN EXTRA LONG ONE FOR YOU ALL AS AN APOLOGY!  
Wooooo! We like double chapters, yeah? SAY YEAH IF YOU LIKE DOUBLE CHAPTERS!  
No, maybe just review instead. :3**

Alright, so, I know you guys get it, but I don't wanna get in trouble or anything, so I'll say it again:  
I DO NOT OWN SPIRITED AWAY. But sure as hell wish I did.

**Enjoy. x**

BZZZZZT!

The sound of the final bell was music to Chihiro's ears. Not literally, the sound was awful, but its meaning was what made it so great- it meant she could get out of the school. She could leave it behind.

Until tomorrow.

Soundlessly, she collected her books and stepped quickly out of the classroom. Luckily she'd had no classes with the 'plastics' since that morning. But even now, as she looked backwards over her shoulder, she heard the tinkling sound of Shannon's laughter and the clacking voices of her stupid guy-friends. The sound was coming closer, so Chihiro hurried on faster. She was in absolutely no mood to deal with her crap right now.

Too late.

"Oh, Chihiro! Darl, _there _you are!"

Chihiro's heart mashed into her chest at the sound of Shannon's voice. There was no getting out of this now.

Slowly, she spun around to meet Shannon's stabbing gaze. She had the biggest, fakest smile plastered on her face.

It only meant one thing; she wanted something.

"Shannon! Sorry, I didn't see you there. I would love to chat, but-"

"Look," Shannon interrupted. "I have a really important date tonight, and I was wondering if you'd let me borrow your necklace for the occasion?"

Chihiro froze. She was wearing her mother's pendant that she'd gotten when she was only 3. It had been passed down to Chihiro, and it was made of 18 carat gold. It was oval-shaped and had an engraved picture of two lovebirds on a swingset. It was really beautiful.

"It's real cute," Shannon continued.

"Yeah, but, Shannon, the thing is, it's my mother's-"

"Hey Shannon!" A senior stepped through from the crowd of boys behind her. "Are we gonna go? Party starts at 6, and it's a two hour drive."

Chihiro's brow wrinkled. Some 'really important date'.

"Yeah, yeah."

Next thing Chihiro knew, Shannon had reached out and pulled her into a hug. Chihiro did not hug back- it too sudden.

Then it hit Chihiro like a ton of bricks. She figured out what Shannon was trying to do.

But once again, it was too late.

CLICK!

Shannon pulled back, shoving Chihiro backwards a few steps. In her hand, she held Chihiro's necklace. A grin came over her face.

"Thanks so much, C! I'll give it back as soon as I can!"

Chihiro was stunned.

"No!" she cried.

Chihiro ran after Shannon as she turned and stepped through the sea of boys. Two of them shoved her back roughly. She hit the ground hard, her head colliding with the metal locker beside her.

"Fuck off." The one on the left said.

And then they were gone. Like that, gone. Shannon was long gone, probably already squeezing into the party van that would take her hours away to Chuck's shack. Chuck was the most popular boy at the school. He too was a senior.

Chihiro sighed as once again she realised that she was the only one left in the corridors. She got to her feet, and stumbled as a splitting pain rocked her head.

She caught her balance on one of the locker handles.

"Whoa." She breathed, and placed both hands on either side of her head.

Almost instantly, the pain went away.

'_Wha..?'_

She removed her hands and stood straight. She felt fine. Better than fine, actually. She felt like she could run a marathon and win.

Chihiro held both her hands up shakily in front of her face. Nothing was out of the ordinary, so she dismissed the situation altogether.

Then she picked up all her books that had been scattered around the marble floor, and continued down the hall to her locker, shaking her head. Once she reached it, she pulled out her phone, and flipped the top open.

"3:17" she murmured, before slamming it shut again.

So it had officially taken her 17 minutes to walk from her class to her locker.

'_Great,'_ she thought. '_That might even be a new record.'_

Slowly, she pulled out her bag and stuffed everything in. Her neck felt bare without the necklace, and it was starting to bug her.

"_I'll give it back to you as soon as I can!"_ Shannon had said.

Chihiro wondered how long that would be. She sighed, and pulled her bag onto her shoulders, before walking away. Then a sudden thought crossed her mind, that made her stop in her tracks.

She reached into her bag, pulled out her notepad and scribbled a quick note:

_Thank you for lending me money, but it won't be necessary. My mum's picking me up now._

_Chihiro Ogino._

She then sprinted down the hall, her footsteps echoing throughout the hallways. At last she reached the front office, where the receptionist once again gave her a quick glare, before returning her gaze to her computer screen. Chihiro slipped past, and put the note and money in the Headmaster's pigeon-hole.

Then, as quietly as she snuck in, she snuck back out. The huge double-doors loomed ahead of her, and finally she reached them, opened them and stepped out. The direct sun instantly had her sweating like a pig.

'_Like a pig..'_

'_Like a pig?'_

'_WHAT!?'_

She shook her head hard, and checked her phone.

3:28pm.

Why again was she lingering her thoughts on such bizarre things? What had caused it? She needed a break.

Instead of taking the usual road home, she went the opposite way, and found herself on a vaguely familiar dirt track. She knew where she was going.

She was going to the Kohaku River.

(- - - - - - - - - - - - - - )

Haku had to move fast. If Yubaba were to catch him, she'd ..

He didn't want to think about that.

It was dim in the corridors, and all he could see were the pale jade-stone tiles and the ivory walls. Things were getting more intense here at the bath-house. Yubaba's control had been destroyed ever since Chihiro had come. She was the one to free Haku, and many other spirits. She'd inspired everyone, and even bargained for her own freedom. She was a girl unlike any other in all worlds. And because of that, Yubaba had gone on a rampage- putting everyone in the bath-house in the clutches of terror.

Haku turned a corridor sharply, tossing his thick hair out behind him.

Only _she _could make things right again. Chihiro.

He wondered what she was doing now. He wondered if she was happy. He wondered..

Haku stopped suddenly.

'_Would she have fallen in love with someone else?'_

His heart sank, shrivelled and formed a pit deep in his stomach. He felt as if he was about to be torn in two at the thought.

But still, he continued forward through the dark halls. He was on the top floor, the one both he and Yubaba owned separately. Haku needed to escape the bath-house without anyone noticing a long absence. If Zaniba could help him, he may never come back.

That's what he was counting on. He knew once he left the building, coming back would only cause trouble for everyone.

He knew that just _leaving_ would cause trouble for everyone.

Even so, he still continued onwards.

At last he saw the huge top-floor windows loom before him. He also noted, with relief, that they were open. Haku picked up speed, and ran towards them. His spiritual strength lifted him off the ground a tiny bit with each stride, and soon he was running on thin air. With a final leap, he glided smoothly through the small opening.

Haku breathed in as he gripped the outer window-handle and flung himself upwards onto the roof silently like a cat. He exhaled, but froze.

"No, no, no, no, no! That simply won't do! That smell is awful. WHO'S IDEA WAS IT TO PUT JASMINE BATH SALT IN THE TUBS?!"

The voice was close by. Yubaba.

"Open the windows immediately! Get that smell out!"

Haku jumped backwards quickly. Just as he did, a row of windows two flights below him slammed open, and the wafting smell of jasmine tea filled the air.

"Everyone!" Haku heard Yubaba screech at someone. "Pour this water off the roof immediately. It's disgusting."

Haku's eyes widened. Panic filled his veins.

He was trapped. The windows on flight 7 were all open, so someone would be sure to see him if he left now. And others were currently making their way to the roof.

'_Think, Haku, think!'_

He heard the creaking of the trapdoor and wildly acted fast, slamming it back down, and creating a magical lock to hold it in place. He heard banging from the under-side, as if someone had fallen into someone else. The sound of sloshing water filled his ears, along with the cries of the spirits below.

Haku didn't waste any more time. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, causing his hair to fall over his face. He reached deep into his soul, and called to his dragon spirit. He felt the answering call, and the transformation began. Haku's legs started to feel stronger, and he could feel his body growing taller. His eyes fluttered open, and a new vision took place behind his snake-like eyes. Without a second thought, Haku threw himself into the air. He felt the familiar ache of wings sprouting from his back, and welcomed it. Instead of going down, Haku pushed himself upwards, where he could camouflage into the dark sky.

He glanced backwards, and saw the lock he'd made give way on the trapdoor. With a quick flick of his new tail, the lock vanished, stealing away any evidence that he'd been on the roof at that moment. Then he hurriedly pushed himself higher, hoping to be concealed in the dark clouds before anyone got out.

He didn't want anyone to know.

Especially Yubaba.

Haku's vision was getting dimmer. That was a good thing, he supposed, as it meant he was getting closer to the darkness. The tiny figures below him were almost too small to be people.

He breathed out, relieved. He was in the clear.

At last, the darkness swallowed him up.

Prevented from seeing anything past his face, Haku lost all knowledge of how high up in the air he was. His dragon senses whispered to him that he was headed in the right direction, so it didn't matter, really.

Haku continued to fly onwards for several hours in total darkness, growing somewhat tired of the sensation of being airborne. At last, a sliver of pink rose from the horizon, and Haku could see the wide stretch of ocean from the glorious reflection. As the sun began to peek over the water, Haku saw that in the distance ahead of him loomed the enchanted forests in which Zaniba lived.

CHOO CHOO!

Haku glanced down as a tiny caterpillar-looking object glided swiftly along the water's surface. It was the train.

_The train Chihiro had used when.._

No!

The thought of her made him queasy. In a good way, but in a way that made him sad.

Sad that he could no longer hold her hand, the way it fit perfectly with his own.

Haku shook the thought away, and flicked his tail hard, sending him flying forward at a dramatic speed. He knew his mission. He knew where he stood.

Now all he had to do was find a way back to her.

'_No distractions,' _Haku thought to himself. _'Just do it!'_

(- - - - - - - - - - - - - -)

The next three hours dawned on Haku. Every second was making him slightly more anxious, slightly more excited, slightly more preparative, slightly more numb.

It was eating him alive.

He was completely awake, and frantically searching the forest below. It was almost impossible to see anything beneath all the intertwining trees. It was like someone had come along and woven them together by treetop, to keep away any prying eyes from the sky.

It _was _an enchanted forest, after all.

The depths of it were a mystery.

Something caught Haku's eye to his far left. A path. It was only tiny from so high up, but Haku had seen it, and he knew exactly where it led.

A burst of adrenaline coursed through his veins as he sped to reach it before becoming impossibly lost again.

It only took a minute.

Instead of stopping on the narrow stretch of dirt, Haku flew along it. He could feel every nerve in his body acting up at an impossibly fast rate. His heart fluttered.

And at long last, the small cottage came into view.

Hope.

Haku slowed his pace down, until he was hovering just a few metres from the tiny door. He released his dragon spirit, and slowly, began to change. Snake-eyes turned round, Dragon jaw shrank, Green hair, now black.

Tail- Now legs.

His bare feet touched the Earth beneath him. He breathed out.

The door in front of him flung open. And there, right before his eyes, stood a little old woman, her hair in the same bun and her body in the same dress it had always been in.

Zaniba.

He had never been more relieved to see her.

"Young Haku. What brings you here?" She barked.

She wasn't going to invite him in. Typical.

"I am in desperate need of your help." Haku replied, unmoving.

"Oh, so just after you _steal _my precious golden seal, _tear _my second body in half, _destroy _the magic spell on my paper birds, and _let Chihiro leave… YOU WANT SOMETHING FROM ME!?" _She roared, hair sticking up.

Haku had expected that.

He endured it, knowing he deserved it.

"That's what I've come to see you about. I want you to help me find her- bring her back."

Zaniba froze, her hair slowly fell back into place.

"Come in." She said, stepping back to make space.

Haku stepped cautiously into the homely room. The entire place was candlelit, and he could smell jasmine incense burning throughout the room.

'_It's amazing how different she and Yubaba are.' _

"No-Face. Please let us speak alone. You may continue weaving in the other room."

Haku's gaze landed on No-Face. He was sitting at a small table in the corner of the room, weaving threads together with a wheel. Slowly, he stood and glided silently out of earshot.

"You seek such impossibilities, you moron. Don't you know about the Gate? It rarely opens. Your chances of getting to her are very slim." Zaniba said, not bothering to face Haku.

He ignored the 'moron' remark.

"I know that. I was hoping somehow you would help me get there by force. I know you can. I know what kind of magic you keep hidden."

"Not MAGIC, child. Simply belief. Any doubting thoughts will instantly put a wall up in any direction you wish to go. You need to have full belief you can find her, only then will you."

Haku processed this, nodding thoughtfully.

"In other words," Zaniba continued, "You need to first find a place where you can clear any doubts. A place special to only you."

Haku's brow wrinkled. "The only place to me that has a general meaning is-"

"The Kohaku River." Zaniba said, finishing his sentence.

Physically, Haku nodded. But mentally, he was suspecting a trap of some sort. Why was Zaniba helping him so willingly?

As if she had heard his thoughts, Zaniba said "The only reason I am helping you is so Chihiro can come back. You must have seen her symbol, child. Didn't you see it?"

"I did."

Symbols in the Spirit World can be seen hovering over a spirit's head. Small things, only about three centimetres all the way around. Each symbol has a particular meaning. Only a rare handful of spirits have the ability to see other spirits' symbols. Most don't even know they exist. Zaniba and Haku had been born with this ability. It seems that Yubaba, Zaniba's twin sister, had not.

Impossibly, Chihiro had one of these symbols.

Most would think she's human. But in reality,

She wasn't.

(- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -)

Chihiro's head spun. The heat was too much to handle after a rough day. Plus she had no water to drink.

RIIIIING RIIIIIIIIIIIING!

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She sighed, annoyed, and went to grab it out. The zip was slippery, so Chihiro had a bit of a hard time unzipping the damn thing. A cold rush went through her as sweat broke out on her forehead. She was seriously annoyed now.

At last, the zip came loose, and Chihiro pulled the phone out.

"What?" She said, coming across a little more rude than she expected.

"Chihiro. It's mum. Where are you?!"

"Muuuuuuuuuuum, I'm going down to the river. It's really hot. I'll meet you after dance, I promise."

".. Well, alright then. I suppose that's okay."

"Right. Well, bye then."

Chihiro snapped the phone shut, not awaiting her mother's reply. She wiped the sweat from her forehead.

It really was hot.

She looked behind her into the distance. Nobody was around. Somewhat desperately, Chihiro dumped her schoolbag onto the dirt track and flung her T-shirt off.

Then she peeled off her skirt and stuffed both items of clothing into her bag, leaving her in just her blue bikini. At last, she felt as if she could _breathe _again.

Chihiro slung the bag over her shoulder, the weight dragging her down. Almost instantly, sweat pooled beneath the straps, and her back began to feel damp.

The rest of her bare skin burned.

Unfortunately, Chihiro had not thought terribly far ahead, and heft her small bottle of sunscreen at home by her dresser. Now she only had herself to blame for the fact that she was literally being cooked alive.

She felt crowded, even though she had as much space as a single person could get. Nature was her only company. Her head throbbed, but she pushed on. She knew where she was going, and she really didn't want to go anywhere else. Her palms began to sweat from holding the bag straps so tightly. She flung them out in front of her, stretching her tanned arms nicely in the process.

Then Chihiro experienced insanity.

Every tiny little bead of sweat covering her body began to rise. Soon enough, they surrounded her, simply floating as if they held no gravity. Her eyes widened as she stared. The more she stared, the wider her eyes became. Her mouth gaped open but no sound left her lips.

The air was cold.

Her interest became suddenly latched onto a droplet perhaps ten centimetres from her face. It simply wobbled around, as if it were jelly.

Chihiro's arms dropped to her sides.

The beads fell to the ground.

The heat returned.

'_Just the heat, just the heat..' _She chanted to her unmoving body.

But part of her didn't believe it.

(- - - - - - - - - - - -)

"So, you think I should connect with my river, in order to achieve.. what?" Haku asked, his emerald eyes boring into Zaniba.

"I don't know, child. Perhaps the lords of both worlds will hear you, depending how desperate you are.."

Haku highly doubted that.

"Or perhaps," She continued ".. The Spirit Gate will open."

"Zaniba." Haku growled, standing from his seat. "The Spirit Gate opens on very rare occasions. What makes you think it would open for me? Are you stupid?"

Zaniba smirked. "Are you?"

Haku raised an eyebrow at her.

'_What..?'_

"I'm afraid I don't understand you." He said, trying to dismiss the hope that creaked through his bones.

"Don't you know the legend, _stupid _child?"

She was mocking him.

"No."

"Then allow me to inform you."

"Actually, I really must get goi-"

"About ten billion years ago," Zaniba started, ignoring Haku. "The Spirit World was created by the hand of the lords. We existed far before the living."

Haku nodded, not understanding why this was relevant. This sort of information was practically common knowledge.

"The Spirit Gate connected us to them, though for the first billion years there was no need for it. Have you ever heard the tale of Adam and Eve, the creators of mankind? Yes? Well, it is believed in the Human World that they were the first humans. But they couldn't possibly be more wrong."

Haku frowned. He hadn't heard this before.

"Adam was indeed human. Eve, however, was not. She was a spirit."

"Wha-"

"Together, they created humanity." Zaniba continued, cutting him off. "But after Eve passed away, her spiritual ability was passed on randomly to a newborn baby of the next generation, making them a spirit in human form. Once that soul passed, the spirit would be passed on to another newborn. And so the legend continues."

The room was silent.

"My theory for Chihiro having a symbol is that _she _is in fact, the spirit of the current human generation."

"But if your theory is correct, she'll die. Spirits don't die, but this one does- SHE'LL DIE!" Haku panicked.

"Calm down. In all of spiritual history, she has been the only one to enter the spirit world. Once she did, she sealed her spirit inside her own body. Adam and Ever were 'born' on October 26th, therefore making their star sign Scorpio. Scorpio is a water sign, therefore explaining the symbol above young Chihiro's head. Chihiro is a water spirit."

"Like me." Haku whispered. "But what do you mean 'sealed'?"

"Eve's spirit no longer lives in Chihiro. Eve was set free the moment Chihiro set foot in our world, but Chihiro's own spirit has been born within her. She will not die, she is now like us. She is still at a stage where she probably hasn't discovered anything abnormal, but it won't stay that way for long. She needs to be brought back to the Spirit World- her home."

Haku was plastered to his seat. His eyes were wide. He couldn't speak.

"So you, Haku, must be the one to bring her back, seeing as you were the one who let her go. You knew she belonged here. Now go."

"But, what about Yubaba? She'll.."

"Don't you worry about her, child. I'll handle it."

"Be careful." Haku said, making his way towards the door.

"You too. You too."

With a flick of his hand, the wooden handle on the little door clicked back and swung open.

Haku transformed in seconds and took flight into the evening sky.

"Bring her home!" Zaniba called from the doorway.

Soon, his dragon figure was out of sight.

"Bring her home…" She whispered again, before slowly making her way back indoors.

(- - - - - - - - - - - -)

Her journey had continued for another twenty minutes.

At long last, Chihiro's squinting eyes laid upon the tall river reeds surrounding the Kohaku River. She gathered some strength and ran to them, losing all her breath in the process. Her hair was plastered to the sides of her face. She could feel the sweat soaking it.

She didn't care.

Chihiro fled through the reeds, feeling their cooling touch on her bare limbs. Behind them, hidden from sight was part of the Kohaku River in all its' glory. The sunlight reflected off the water and dazzled against the cluster of reeds.

'_It's beautiful..'_

Chihiro then realised she was standing on a small patch of clean sand. She wiggled her toes, burying them deep. Her eye caught on a large rock to her left, and she pulled her feet free to dump her bag there.

A splash of water painted the sides of the reeds as she plunged face-first into her heaven.

Chihiro could feel the water taking her, sucking her into its depths. She welcomed it.

Slowly, she breathed out, allowing her body to sink further.

She opened her eyes.

The water went down fairly deep, but she could see the sand beneath her. The water above looked like a barrier between her and the sun, allowing it to let through only light.

Chihiro grinned and twirled, spreading her arms and legs out wide. A couple of bubbles escaped from between her teeth, and she watched them float up to the surface.

She loved the feeling of being in water. To her there was nothing better.

The sudden need for air burned through her. She really wished she could've stay like that forever, but instead, she kicked her legs, propelling her lean body towards the surface.

She broke to the surface, sucking air deeply into her needing lungs. After calming her breath down a little, she laid back, floating atop the water. Slowly, she ran her fingers through her hair, staring up at the blue sky.

"I wonder what lies beyond that." She thought aloud.

Something tightened around her fingers. An irritating pain she knew all too well rocked her scalp.

"Aw, crap."

Knots.

(- - - - - - - - - - )

The familiar sight of the tall river reeds surrounding the Kohaku River welcomed him. The boy with the midnight black hair pushed them aside carefully with both hands. He knew what lay beyond.

The water ahead glistened with a shimmering glow of blue. It was really beautiful.

It was him.

Haku closed his eyes as he walked bare-foot across the sand. He could feel..

Presence. Something close.

His eyes snapped open.

And there, right next to him on a rock was a ghostly looking girl in a bright blue bikini, brushing tangles out of her long brown hair with her fingers.

Even though she was facing away from him, Haku's breath stopped. His heart thudded in his ears. It was her. It could only be her.

It was Chihiro.

**So guys! Please review and tell me what you think. If some bits didn't make sense, just say so, and I'll try and re-write it a little better.**

**Next chapter will be up shortly, I don't know when though.**

**Just wait for it, my little raindrops! 33**


	4. Chapter 4: So Close, Yet So Far

**Hey guys!**

**I'm back – It's the summer holidays now, so I'm hoping to get at least four more chapters up by the end of them.  
I understand I had a previous review saying to not go fast. I promise you this story won't be like that- I'll try to make it as detailed as I possibly can. I'm hoping for at least fifteen or so chapters.  
So stay keen, review & enjoy chapter 4. Xx**

**You know the drill, but I gotta say it.  
I do NOT own Spirited Away. But I wish I did. ):**

Chihiro's fingers tugged roughly at her hair. She breathed out angrily.

'_Stupid knots.. stupid, stupid, stupi-'_

"Ow!" she cried softly, as a sharp pain went through her scalp. She pulled her fingers away from her head gently and saw a trail of hair wound through her fingers.

She groaned, regretting not packing her hair-brush.

Just as Chihiro went back to smoothing her hair out, she froze, a tingling feeling going up her spine. Almost as if someone was watching her from a close distance.

She spun her head around so fast she heard something in her neck crack. Nobody was there.

Her hammering heart did not slow down. She _knew _someone was there, she could feel it in her bones. Slowly, she stood from her perch on the rock, and crept towards the reeds.

Chihiro extended her arm and closed her eyes, resisting the instinct to run. In a quick motion, her hand swung through the tall greenery in front of her, revealing-

Nothing. Nobody was there.

Her heart slowed, and eventually went back to its regular pace.

She returned to her rock, feeling a cool breeze trail over her fair skin as she walked.

Chihiro flopped herself down, noticing the warmth from the stone seep into her muscles. Looking at the sky, Chihiro could see how dark it had become.

She realised too late that it was already nearly 6:00pm.

But when she did, she ran.

'_Damn it. I am going to be so late.'_

(- - - - - - - - - - - - - - )

Haku could only watch as Chihiro quickly gathered her things and ran from sight. It could only mean she was late for or had forgotten something.

A grin spread across his face. She was still the same as she ever was.

He replayed her every movement in his mind; her slender legs, as they crept across the sand. Her arms, as they moved up and down in a constant motion as she removed tangles from her shiny brown hair.

He stopped at his favourite part.

Chihiro's eyes, as she spun around and looked him straight in the face.

"Chihiro.." He'd half said- half-whispered.

It was at that moment that Haku realised she couldn't see him. She probably couldn't hear him either, as she'd had no reaction her own name. A wave of disappointment had flooded his body.

But he'd found himself unable to move. He became entranced by her. The fact that she was so close yet so far away dawned on him.

Now, Haku stepped through the sand, not leaving any footprints or making any sound. He walked through the reeds in which he had come, and simply stared at Chihiro's disappearing figure, unable to follow due to the spiritual bindings to his river.

A breeze glided through the air, but did not affect him in any way. As a spirit, he was immune to such feelings.

As a spirit.

"What if… What if I were human?"He asked the nothingness around him.

The impossibility of that really happening made him laugh out loud.

But then Haku stopped laughing, and frowned.

He could feel another presence. Somewhere downstream.  
Haku stealthily crept back to the water's edge, and lowered himself into the dark stretch of river. He could feel his body vanishing as he submerged. Soon he transformed, and became part of the water itself.

A small wave splashed the sand as he pushed the tide, sending him in the direction of the disturbance. The moon gave him energy, so his journey lasted only moments.

Haku slowed down as he approached. He could now sense not one, but three human figures in the water.

Voices could be made out.

"C'mon baby, let's just do this."

'_Male.'_ Haku thought. _'And judging by his tone, there must be a female. Making the third person yet another male.'_

'How much will both of you pay me?"

That was the girl who spoke.

"Shannon, listen honey, how about you give this one to me on the house?"

The second male.

"Nope. I don't loan my body for free."

"Fine then. Fifty bucks."

"Each." The girl named Shannon declared.

There was a pause.

"Fine."

The girl smiled, and asked; "Let's play a game. Which one of you can take the most clothing off me in five seconds?"

The sound of splashed and ripping filled the air.

Haku focused his gaze elsewhere as Shannon's flesh became exposed.

"What's this?" One of the males asked suddenly.

Haku looked up, careful to avoid anything he shouldn't see.

The man was pointing to a gold necklace around Shannon's neck.

"Oh, this? You know that Chihiro girl I was talking to before we left school? Yeah, well this is what I took from her."

The sound of Chihiro's name made Haku's hearing suddenly become sharper.

Both men were silent.

"I know." The girl said. "Why don't we stir the pot a little, and ditch it? She'd be so upset."

With a flick of her wrist, Shannon plucked the necklace from around her neck, and flung it into the water.

Haku's eyes flashed darkly as he watched the three of them laugh.

"Now, I don't see your pants off, boys. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can get back to the party."

Haku pushed the water forward with all his strength. A huge wave came crashing down on the humans, sending them crashing out of the water, dripping wet and cold. A scream pierced the air.

Not bothering to watch them any longer, Haku pushed down and began frantically searching the riverbed for the golden necklace.

It didn't take him long to find it, as the river was technically his true 'body'.

Haku pulled the water, and let the tide carry him back to the spot where Chihiro had been earlier. A blue glow formed on the sand as his human form was remade.

Green eyes opened.

Haku stood, facing the water directly. He raised his hand, palm out, and wavered it in the air.  
Slowly, a bubble of water rose from the surface, with the gold necklace trapped inside. He retracted his hand, sending the water blob with it.

Haku blinked, and the bubble popped. The necklace fell to the ground.

In one quick, smooth movement, Haku snatched it up, somewhat cradling it in both hands.

He became very interested in the necklace, and the beautiful carvings that made it so special. His eyes became fixated on the smooth surface as it sparkled with the reflection of the moonlight.

Too caught up in the beauty of the item, Haku failed to notice the cool breeze, as it seeped through his clothes and tousled his raven black hair.

(- - - - - - - - - - - - - )

Chihiro panted. Her bag bashed into her side.

She'd been running for what felt like forever, and could only just make out the shape of the town plaza.

She slowed to a walk, completely out of breath.

When she discovered the time back at the river, she'd left so suddenly, leaving no time to put on clothes or pack anything properly. Now she knelt and stuffed all her belongings in, taking out her uniform skirt and top. She slipped the clothing on, not bothering to do up the buttons on her shirt.

After picking up her bag, Chihiro continued to walk down the dusty track. The evening sky gleamed with the colours of the sunset.

"Pink, orange, blue.." Chihiro breathed, listing them.

Now entering the main part of town, Chihiro pushed her way through the busy clusters of people, and took a right turn, finding herself on a very familiar street. The dance hall loomed ahead of her as she jogged towards it.

A sudden sound behind her caused her to spin on her heels.

And there, in the distance was a boy.

She couldn't make out what he looked like from so far, especially with the setting sun behind him.

Time seemed to be frozen.

"CHIHIRO!"

Chihiro jumped and spun around, coming face-to-face with her dance instructor. An un-noticed sock fell from her bag and crumpled to the floor.

"H-hi miss." She stammered.

"DON'T YOU 'HI MISS' ME! GET INSIDE THIS INSTANT."

Chihiro could feel her face going bright red.

"Yes miss. Excuse me, miss." She said, hurrying past.

As Chihiro reached the top step, she stopped and looked back over her shoulder.

The boy was gone.

She could feel her brow wrinkling as she turned away.

Once inside the hall, Chihiro could see all the other students practicing movements to a steady rhythm. She ignored their dirty looks as she ran into the change rooms, slamming the door shut noisily behind her.

(- - - - - - - - - - - - )

Haku froze, the necklace still clutched in his hands.

'_I can feel…' _

The sand beneath his feet was wet and squishy. The air around him was cool, yet stable. The necklace felt smooth beneath his fingertips.

"What's.. going on?"

An idea crossed Haku's mind, and before he could think twice, he broke into an open run to the water, throwing himself in.

Water shot up his nose, and burned his lungs. He kicked desperately to the surface, spluttering.

'_What the hell? Why can't I connect with my..?'_

The conclusion hit him as he dragged his soaked body onto the sand once more.

"I'm human. No, no, not _human-human, _more like _spirit_-human. Yeah." He said, re-assuring himself.

He glanced back at the water.

"The only way.. that something like this could have happened.. is if the Spirit Gate opened for me."

That had to be it. There was really no other way.

'_But.. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.'_

Obviously it wasn't.

Haku decided to test the same water move he'd used to retrieve the necklace from the water.

It worked, and the bubble hovered in mid-air. Then he raised both hands up and stretched mightily, and again, the water complied.

'_Weird..'_

Slowly, Haku turned to face the river reeds behind him. He approached them cautiously, and pushed his body through. He felt the small spikes scratch at his lower legs, leaving behind tiny marks.

He arrived at the point where he was restricted to go further. Squeezing his eyes shut, he marched over the invisible line, bracing himself for an impact of some sort..

..that never came.

Haku opened his eyes and looked down, feeling the rocky path beneath his toes. He grinned and sprinted forward.

And stopped.

He looked back to see that in two seconds, he'd travelled roughly twenty yards.

"Guess I can do everything except connect with my river. I wonder why that is."

Haku pushed the thought away. Now he could finally be with her- Chihiro Ogino.

Suddenly finding a new strength, Haku burst forward at top speed, following the path in which she had left. He didn't stop running.

Pretty quickly, Haku reached a little town. He skidded to a stop on a road and looked around the busy streets.

A tall building above him read 'Town Plaza'.

BEEP BEEEEEEEEEEP.

Haku's head snapped in the direction of the noise. A car was driving right towards him. Smoothly, Haku jumped from harm's way.

He stood up straight and dusted his clothes. A flicker of something disappearing through a crowd caught his eye to the left.

Hesitantly, he followed it, and pushed through the crowd himself. He found himself on a quiet street, with a giant hall at the end. But that wasn't what he was looking at.

He was looking at a girl.

He was looking at _her._

And suddenly, she was looking at him.

Haku froze, nailed to the spot. He could see every detail of her face, even from this distance. The sound of his own heartbeat filled his ears.

Her eyes, full of both shock and curiosity, were focused intently on him. It was obvious from the look on her face that she was having trouble making out what he looked like.  
A figure behind the girl came into view.  
And Chihiro spun away.

Haku took the moment of opportunity to dart away. He jumped, and glided softly down onto the nearest rooftop.  
He watched as Chihiro gazed back at the spot where he'd just been standing, before hurrying indoors.

Haku sighed, and returned to his spot on the ground.

Just before turning away, something white caught his gaze.  
Haku swiftly covered the distance between himself and the item, and picked it up.

'_A sock? Wait, there's some writing on the side.'_

"Osaka Private High School." He read aloud.

A grin spread over his face, shining in the darkened night.

He knew where he would find her again.

'_Wait for me, Chihiro.'_

**Okay! I think that's enough excitement for you guys for now.  
Next chapter will be up in about a week. I promise to have one uploaded every week of the holidays, except for the last week, where I will be absent.**

**Wait for me, my little raindrops.**

**I'll finish this story someday soon. x**


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